Luxury Accommodation

Mana Pools to Chweore - Departs Thurs/Fri/Sun April to November

DAY ONE (18 KM)
The operator will collect you on the morning of your safari at 7:30am, in good time for a check-in at their office, handing in extra luggage and valuables. PLEASE DO NOT TAKE YOUR PASSPORT ON THE RIVER. There will be a short briefing to summarise what the safari entails and questions may be asked. Guests will be required to sign an indemnity form before leaving on the safari.
After the briefing, a visit to the shops will be made, purchasing any extra drinks wanted for the trip before setting off for the river. Please note that credit cards are not a recommended payment option in Zimbabwe.
Your group will be transferred in open 4x4 vehicles to Nyamepi (Mana Pools Main Camp) arriving at approximately 1:30pm. The canoes and kit will be off-loaded.
The guide will give a safety talk and demonstration on how to paddle and lunch will be served before you begin canoeing. You will paddle until early evening reaching the first night’s camp on Nyamatusi Island. There is time to have a bucket bath, relax and have dinner after a brief safety talk on camping by your guide.

DAY TWO (25 KM)
You will be woken early for tea, coffee and biscuits before a short morning’s paddle. Breakfast will be served either on the banks of the river or on an island. Afterwards the group will resume canoeing until around midday - stopping for lunch and a brief siesta on the river bank till the midday heat passes. Canoeing will then continue on until early evening. The second night’s stop is made at ‘G’ Camp in the channels.

DAY THREE (20 KM)
The programme is as per day two. With the night’s camp being set up at Chewore High Sand Bank.

DAY FOUR (7 KM)
Tea, coffee and biscuits are taken after a more leisurely start to the day. Following breakfast, camp will be broken and you will depart at approximately 8am. On arriving at Chewore at 10am, canoes and equipment will be loaded on to the vehicle for the return trip to Kariba – a packed lunch is served en route. Arrival time in Kariba is approximately 3pm.

Semi-participatory Explorer Canoe Safari options begin and end in Kariba (unless by other arrangement) and we recommend you spend the night prior to their safari’s departure in Kariba town. We can assist with booking this accommodation. Safaris depart from our offices in Kariba, clients can self-drive there or, be picked up by us from their various hotels at 7:30am. Once at the office, clients may arrange for excess luggage and valuables to be locked away safely until their return. (We do not recommend taking passports or valuables on the river). A short briefing will then be given to help clients understand what the trip entails and any questions will be answered. A shopping trip follows to allow the purchase of any additional groceries or personal items required, as well to purchase particular drinks clients may want. Clients will then be driven to the starting point of their safari.

DAILY ROUTINE
Generally the day starts with tea/coffee and biscuits at sunrise. Camp is then packed up and the party sets off. Early mornings make for easy paddling as the wind is calm and it is not yet too hot. A stop will be made for breakfast, usually after a couple of hours. The trip continues after breakfast, until breaking for a light lunch and siesta to avoid the midday heat. The night stop is reached at approximately 5pm and the camp is unpacked and setup. Campsites are typically set up on islands and all sites are designated by National Parks.

ABLUTIONS
There are no ablution facilities on these safaris. Clients are provided with a spade, toilet paper and matches - with which to burn the toilet paper. Bathing is done from a bucket using water scooped out of the river.

BACK-UP STATUS
Explorer Safaris are self-contained. All equipment and food is carried in the canoes and there is no vehicle back-up apart from drop-off and pick-up. As these safaris are semi-participatory, clients are required to help up setup tents and to assist the guide with the cooking and washing up.

EQUIPMENT SUPPLIED
All camping equipment is supplied. This includes gas stoves, kitchen utensils, pots and pans, plastic plates, mugs, tables, stools, camping mattresses, sleeping bags and liners, candles, matches, cooler boxes and dome tents. Clients can bring their own sleeping bags if preferred. Fishing equipment is not supplied but clients may bring their own.

FOOD
All food is supplied and meals are of a good standard. Meat and poultry dishes are precooked, frozen and stored in a cooler box during the safari. Some fresh produce (fruit and vegetables) are provided on the safari. Long safaris such as the Zambezi Classic Long are re-supplied in either Chirundu or Mana Pools.
• Breakfast usually consists of fruit, eggs, bacon, sausages, baked beans or tomato relish, toast and jams.
• Lunch consists of cold meats, salads, cheese and bread.
• Dinner consist of a variety of meat and vegetable dishes.

DRINKS
Tea, coffee, cordials and imported wine with dinner are provided on Explorer Safaris. Processed water is provided on all our trips however we also provide 2 litres of bottled mineral water per person per day. Clients are therefore advised to bring their own minerals (soft drinks), beer and spirits. Clients will be able to purchase these before the trip when taken shopping prior to departure. Drinks must be bought in cans to reduce weight and space. A cooler box is set aside for keeping drinks cold. There are no opportunities to replenish stocks on the river.